Disney films a holiday godsend’

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32777, 30 November 1971, Page 6

Disney films a holiday godsend’

'By

GILLIAN FRANKS)

i In an air-conditioned ' fireproof, bomb-proof vault in Burbank, California, guarded 24 hours a day by security men, lie several hundred miles of celluloid for which every mother should give thanks.

They consist of over a thousand films made by the Walt Disney organisation since 1923 and which have kept generations of children amused in cinemas and in front of television sets ever since.

As school holidays loom nearer, cinema chains all over the world are dusting down their Disney films, knowing that however sophisticated children may get, one film will continue to be the top money-spinner in the five to 14 age group. “SNOW WHITE” STILL It is Walt Disney’s “Snow White,” made 35 years ago this Christmas and now the twelfth most successful film in the history of the cinema, with a total revenue of over s3om. Yet when Disney began to make “Snow White,” his first animated feature film, with a million dollars of borrowed money, his bankers wailed: “Walt’s costs are running away with him,” and braced themselves for disaster. In the first year, the film made about slom around the world, and brought Disney honorary degrees from Harvard, Yale, and other universities. Since then it has led the Disney animated best-sellers, I just beating “Bambi” (1942) land “Lady and the Tramp”

(1955), and continues to be a godsend to parents in search of holiday entertainment for their children. DIRT WELCOMED

“The dirtier and sexier Hollywood’s pictures get, the better we do with our films,” said the head of the Disney organisation, Mr Ron Miller, recently, announcing a record profit. “Today the old Disney classics, lead by ‘Snow White,’ are bringing in millions at the box-office. There are just not that many films parents can take kids to these days.” Which is why the Disney film library is so priceless. The celluloid alone is worth over s2oom, and includes 300 hours of Mickey Mouse television shows and over 500 short cartoon films.

Not only children appreciate his films. By the time he died, aged 65, in 1966, Disney had won 29 Oscars for his work—2o more than anyone else —and had amassed a personal fortune of about s3om. Most of this has gone into a family company called Retlaw—Walter spelled backwards—now run by his daughters, Diane and Sharon, which actually owns the Walt Disney name. It also has a big holding in Walt Disney Productions, which makes the films. PUBLIC SHARES Nearly 50 per cent of the shares of this company are owned by the public and nearly a third of these belong, appropriately, enough, to children. Before he died, Disney had gathered around him a team of film men pledged to carry on his policy of “happy [wholesome films for the i family, that don’t make anyone embarrassed.” Strangely, in the early days, this policy, which ■ parents would surely have welcomed, resulted in the Disney organisation spending a good deal of its time in the red.

In the thirties he spent heavily on children’s cartoons and animated features and often sold them cheaply, sometimes for as little as $7OO. Charlie Chaplin, then running the nearby United Artists’ studio, invited Disney to study the United Artists’ books and learn how to make some money. “After the success of ‘Snow White,’ ” Disney recalled years later: “Charlie came over and studied our books!” But although children have loved virtually every Disney film, not all of them made money at first. “Fantasia,” for instance, which contained classical music with animation was a box office flop when first released. “Dumbo”’ and “Bambi” were also only moderate successes. But over the years they have become world-beaters.

Perhaps, the, only recent Disney disappointment was “Sleeping Beauty,” in 1960. “But this," says Mr Miller, “is almost certain to make money in the future.”

DIVERSIFICATION Since Disney died, the process of diversification which he started has meant that motion pictures will represent only about a quarter of

the organisation's output by. 1975.

Taking their place is Disneyland, a s23m playground at Anaheim, California, the “Disney World” in Florida, complete with a city of the future—and a s2om ski resort.

But that doesn’t mean that future generations of children will have to do without a Disney treat in the school holidays. Six major animated films ai in he pl: ning stage, along with a similar number of live-action films.

But if all film production was stopped tomorrow, there’s enough reserve stock in the Burbank archives to keep the cinemas busy for at least 20 years ... Features International.